


Talking of Daphne

by CaughtUpInATizzy



Series: ~*~ Bridgerton Stories ~*~ [1]
Category: Bridgerton (TV)
Genre: 5 Times, F/M, Fluff, Gen, No Plot/Plotless, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:21:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28834800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaughtUpInATizzy/pseuds/CaughtUpInATizzy
Summary: Five times Anthony mentions Daphne to Simon, and one time Simon mentions her to Anthony.
Relationships: Daphne Bridgerton/Simon Basset
Series: ~*~ Bridgerton Stories ~*~ [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114235
Comments: 4
Kudos: 106





	1. In a Tree

Anthony and Simon 14  
Daphne 6

In one of the enclosed gardens of Eton, up in a tree hidden by bushes of roses that the boys had torn their sleep clothes on before they climbed up to their hiding spot, sat one Anthony Bridgerton and his friend, perhaps his best friend, Simon Hastings. 

Anthony kicked his legs out and leaned over so Simon could light his cigar. Both boys gave a slow sigh as they breathed out their contraband. The smoke slithered between the branches and the leaves into the night sky.

“If we get caught I’m telling them you coerced me,” Simon told Anthony, shoving his shoulder good-naturedly, not hard enough to change any balance on the branch. 

“They’d believe you too,” Anthony laughed. “A solid alibi indeed,” 

“What would your father do if he could see you here with me, right now, Bridgerton?”

“Oh,” Anthony took another drag, tilting his head back before letting the smoke go. “He would probably be cross that I did not save having my first cigar for him, though we both know that ship has sailed long ago. I lied during the hols and told him the brandy he gave me was my first sip. And your father?”

“He’d be cross too,”

If Anthony noticed the withdrawn answer, he didn’t speak on it. 

“Mama and Daphne would roll their eyes, I don’t doubt. But my brothers would beg for details and El, that is Eloise, is too curious so she’d probably trail after them even with no idea on what a cigar even is,” Anthony smiled wistfully. “I do miss them all sometimes, my family,”

“Yes,” Simon said, one hand gripping the tree tightly so that his fingers had a memory of the bark imprinted on them when he forced himself to loosen. “Any prodigal son would,” He tried not to sound horribly bitter.

“Hastings, are you feeling quite alright?” Anthony fiddled with the cigar not looking up from it as he tapped it and watched the ashes fall to the ground below them.

“Quite alright, tell me more of your siblings,”

“Right man, you have none, is that not right? I envy you sometimes, but you’ll understand once you have children of your own that a bustling household is often a happy one,”

“As exemplified by the Bridgertons,” Simon scoffed. “I am sorry Anthony, I’m glad for you and your family, but I shall never marry nor have children,”

Anthony adjusted himself on the branch to look Simon straight on. “And what of the dukedom?” 

Simon laughed. “After I’m dead some lucky lad can have it. I’ll do my duty but no more,”  
“And what of your duty to provide an heir?”

Simon shrugged, puffing on the cigar. 

“You’ll change your mind when we’re older, now my sister Daphne? She’s always been enamored with children and the idea of being a mother. I couldn’t imagine a conversation between the two of you on what duty means,” Anthony laughed.

“I suppose your sister has much better role models for motherhood than I ever did for fatherhood,”

Anthony looked at Simon from the corner of his eye. He did not know all that Simon had gone through in his childhood, and he never intended to press it, but he had gathered from a year of rooming side by side and being nigh inseparable that Simon Hasting’s youth had not been as full as the Bridgerton children. 

“Yes, I suppose that is a possibility,”


	2. Daphne sent a Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short drabble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anthony 15/Daphne 7

“A letter from a lover?” Simon leaned over to pluck the parchment from between Anthony’s fingers. Anthony had been bent over a desk in their dorm, head in his hand as he tried to read the letter by candlelight. 

“My sister,” Anthony growled, running a hand through his hair. “My sister who has yet to master penmanship,” 

“Which sister? Surely you’re not talking about the smaller one,” Simon flopped back onto his bed. It was hardly the most comfortable bed he had ever had, but then again it wasn't as bad as the thin mattress he'd had until Lady Danbury had stepped in for his defense.

“There are two smaller ones, now, but this letter is from Daphne, she’s seven now,”

Simon squinted at the scratchy writing. “She seems to have mastered a rather splendid ‘y’,” He teased.

Anthony rolled his eyes with a tired grin. “Hopefully soon I won’t have to decipher it like it is Latin,”

“You can’t decipher Latin, Bridgerton, that would require paying attention in Master Clarke’s lessons,”

“Exactly,” Anthony said.


End file.
